Set of playing cards and card game

ABSTRACT

In a set of playing cards for a playing a wagering game, each card bears on a playing face a letter of the alphabet and a numerical score value associated with said letter of the alphabet. The set is divided into twenty-six series of cards, each series representing a different letter of the alphabet from A to Z, and each series including one or more cards. Example cards  10, 12, 14  are shown in FIG.  1.  A playing surface for the game is shown in FIG.  2.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a set of playing cards and to an apparatus and method for playing a card game, and particularly, but not exclusively, to a set of playing cards and an apparatus and method for playing a poker style wagering game.

Known poker style games use conventional playing cards, and it is generally acknowledged that successful players have good numeracy skills and a good memory.

It has become apparent that there is a need for a poker style wagering game which benefits players having good literacy skills.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided a set of playing cards for a playing a game, each card bearing on a playing face a letter of the alphabet and a numerical score value associated with said letter of the alphabet.

The set may be divided into twenty-six series of cards, each series representing a different letter of the alphabet from A to Z, and each series including one or more cards.

Each series may include between 1 and 8 substantially identical cards.

Each set of playing cards may comprise 83 cards.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for playing a wagering game comprising a plurality of betting tokens and at least one set of playing cards as claimed in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention.

The apparatus may further comprise a playing surface.

The playing surface may have at least two player zones, each player zone comprising a player card zone dimensioned for receiving at least two cards dealt from said at least one set; a community zone dimensioned for receiving a predetermined number of community cards dealt from said at least one set, and a play wager zone for receiving one or more betting tokens constituting a play wager.

Each player zone may also include an ante wager zone for receiving at least one betting token constituting an ante wager.

The community zone may be dimensioned to receive five cards.

The player, community, and wager zones may be designated by lines marked on the playing surface.

The apparatus may further comprise a score recording means, for example a pen and paper or computer and display means.

At least one betting token may be positioned in the play wager zone or ante wager zone of each of the player's zones, two cards may be positioned face down in each player card zone, five cards may be positioned face up in the community zone, and, optionally, at least one further betting token may be positioned in the play wager zone.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for use in playing a card game comprising a playing surface, a plurality of betting tokens, and a set of playing cards in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, the playing surface being marked in a manner substantially as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

In use, the at least one set of cards may be dealt and played and the betting tokens may be used substantially in the manner specified in the rules described below.

There may be between two and thirty-nine players, but preferably there are between two and eight players.

According to yet a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of playing a card game having at least first and second players, the method comprising the steps of: each player making an ante wager, each player being dealt two cards from a set of cards, each card bearing on a playing face a letter of the alphabet and a numerical score value associated with said letter of the alphabet, each player being able to view the face of only his cards, a first player making a BET or deciding to CHECK, if the first player CHECKS, then each subsequent player making a BET or deciding to CHECK until one player makes a BET or until all players CHECK, if a player BETS, then each subsequent player making a CALL, RAISE or FOLD until every player still in the game has contributed the same amount to the POT; dealing a plurality of community cards, each player making a CALL, RAISE or FOLD until every player still in the game has contributed the same amount to the POT; each player recording a word created from their cards and the community cards, each player making a final CALL, RAISE or FOLD until every player still in the game has contributed the same amount to the POT; the winner of the game being the player with the highest numerical score value associated with their said recorded word, when revealed.

Preferably, a further community card is dealt and each player makes a CALL, RAISE or FOLD until every player still in the game has contributed the same amount to the POT prior to each player recording a word.

A yet further community card may be dealt and each player may make a CALL, RAISE or FOLD until every player still in the game has contributed the same amount to the POT prior to each player recording a word.

A six letter word may score double points, and a seven letter word may score treble points.

Every time a player loses all of their chips, the ante wager of the next game may double.

No proper nouns, acronyms or abbreviations may be allowed.

Preferably, only words in the Oxford English Dictionary are permissible.

Each player may only be allowed 10 seconds in which to decide how to play and if the or each player fails to declare CHECK, BET, RAISE or FOLD within that time, then their cards may be automatically folded and they may lose any contribution that they have invested in the POT.

At the end of each hand, the dealing responsibility may move one person to the left.

Various objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the face of several playing cards of the set of the game.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a playing surface forming part of the apparatus of the game.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In a set of playing cards, each card has a playing face bearing a letter of the alphabet and a numerical score value associated with that letter of the alphabet. Referring firstly to FIG. 1, three example cards 10,12,14 of the set are shown. The first card 10 bears the letter “B” and the numerical score value “3”, the second card bears the letter “E” and the numerical score value “1”, and the third card bears the letter “T” and the numerical score value “1”. The reverse sides of the cards in the set bear no information pertaining to the letters and associated score values and are printed with identical matter. Each set of cards includes 83 cards, with letters and score values as indicated below: A: 6 cards. Score: 1 point B: 2 cards. Score: 3 points C: 2 cards. Score: 2 points D: 5 cards. Score: 2 points E: 8 cards. Score: 1 point F: 2 cards. Score: 5 points G: 3 cards. Score: 3 points H: 3 cards. Score: 3 points I: 6 cards. Score: 1 point J: 1 card. Score: 6 points K: 1 card. Score: 6 points L: 3 cards. Score: 1 point M: 2 cards. Score: 4 points N: 5 cards. Score: 1 point O: 6 cards. Score: 1 point P: 2 cards. Score: 2 points Q: 1 card. Score: 8 points R: 5 cards. Score: 1 point S: 4 cards. Score: 1 point. T: 6 cards. Score: 1 point U: 3 cards. Score: 1 point V: 1 card. Score: 5 points W: 2 cards. Score: 4 points X: 1 card. Score 6 points Y: 2 cards. Score: 5 points Z: 1 card. Score: 8 points (TOTAL: 83 cards)

Referring also to FIG. 2, an example of a gaming table is indicated generally at 16 and has a playing surface 18. The playing surface 18 includes six player zones, each including a player card zone 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 marked out with two spaces 32, 34 for receiving two dealt cards. A community zone 36 is marked out with five spaces 38, 40, 42, 44, 46 to receive five dealt community cards. A play wager zone 48 is disposed at substantially the center of the playing surface 18 between the player zones and community zone 36. Optionally, ante wager zones (not shown) may be individually designated in front of each player card zone 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30.

The apparatus for playing the game also includes a plurality of betting tokens and, in one embodiment, comprises a plurality of betting chips, a proportion of which are substantially black in color, the rest being substantially white in color. The black chips represent a value of double that of the white chips. The apparatus also includes score recoding means, which usually will be pen and paper. In a special edition of the game, it is envisaged that the apparatus of the game will include 2 sets of cards and 200 chips.

The game can be played with any number of players up to 39 players, but for the game to have a most exciting speed of play, ideally there are between two and eight players.

Before playing a game, the chips are divided equally between the players, so that each player has chips to the same value. Not all of the chips need be used. For example, each may have 30 chips at the start of the game.

The object of the game play is for each player to make the highest scoring word from seven cards available to each player including two down cards and five community cards, and to ultimately win all of the chips. The dealer may or may not be a player. In the following example of how the game may be played, the dealer is one of the players.

Definition of Terms

POT: the chips or betting tokens that have been wagered

HOLE: card dealt to each player face down

BET or WAGER: to put more chips into the POT

ANTE WAGER: to put a predetermined number of chips into the POT

CHECK: to pass the option to open the betting along to the next player

CALL: to equal the amount of a bet to stay in the game

RAISE: to match the bet and add a further bet

FOLD: to opt out of a game

FLOP: 3 community cards

TURN: 1 community card

RIVER: 1 community card

SHOWDOWN: to reveal cards and words created

Rules of Game Play

To begin with, a player is selected to deal the first hand. Then, each player places an ante wager in the play wager zone 48, i.e. a number of chips. The amount of the ante wager is determined before the game by the players.

Next, as in poker, each player is dealt two hole cards face down onto his player card zone, which only he is allowed to see. As previously described, every card features a letter of the alphabet, and will have a score value.

On the strength of the hole cards, the player to the left of the dealer makes a betting decision. He can either BET (i.e., put more chips into the pot, from a minimum of two chips to a “no limit” maximum of all the chips he has) or CHECK (i.e., pass the option to open the betting along to the next person).

If any player does make a bet, the player seated to his left has three options. He can either CALL (i.e., equal the amount of the bet and thus pay to stay in the hand); RAISE (i.e., match the bet and add a further bet of his own); or FOLD (i.e., decide that his cards are not good enough to justify further investment and cut his losses by opting out of the hand).

The game can only proceed when all remaining players have put the same amount of chips into the pot. Community cards (a number together or individual cards) are then dealt followed by respective betting rounds, before the players cards are revealed in a SHOWDOWN, and the scores noted.

The rules are best illustrated by the following example:

There are four players A, B, C, D sat at the table 16 in the game. Each player makes an ante wager of 2 chips, making a total of 8 chips in the pot. The hole cards are then dealt out.

Player A is dealt EI. He checks.

Player B is dealt AH. He bets 2 chips.

Player C is dealt QU. He raises 4 chips, and so puts in a total of 6 chips.

Player D is dealt JO. He calls, and so equals the bet of 6 chips.

The play now comes back to Player A. He decides his cards are not good enough and folds.

Player B calls, adding 4 chips to the pot, so that his total investment is now 6 chips.

There are now three players left in the game, and 24 chips are in the pot. Next, three community cards are dealt onto the spaces 38, 40, 42 face up. These cards are known as the “flop”. These three community cards are available to all of the remaining players, B, C, and D. They can use the flop in combination with their hole cards to make a word.

The flop shows YST.

After the flop, there is another round of betting.

Player B, holding AH, can make the word HASTY. He bets 4 chips.

Player C, holding QU, only has the word STY, but has many ways of improving, so he calls for 4 chips.

Player D, holding JO, has made the word JOYS. He calls also.

The pot now contains 36 chips.

Then, a fourth community card, known as the “turn”, is dealt onto space 44. This is followed by another round of betting.

The turn card is bears the letter B. The community cards on the table are now YSTB.

Player B, with AH, has not improved on the word HASTY. He checks.

Player C, with QU, still only has STY. He checks.

Player D, with JO, has not improved on the word JOYS. He also checks.

The pot still contains 36 chips

Finally, a fifth and final community card, known as the “river”, is dealt onto the space 46. With no more letters to come, players must calculate the highest scoring word they can achieve using the seven cards available to them. There is final a round of betting, then each remaining player must write down or otherwise record his word. The words are then revealed in a “showdown”, and the highest scoring word wins all of the chips in the pot. If the words of two or more players are of equal value, the pot is shared between those players.

The river card is an A. The community cards on the table are now YSTBA

Player B, with AH, has still not improved on HASTY. He checks.

Player C, with QU, has made the word QUAYS. He bets 6 chips.

Player D, with JO, has not improved on JOYS. But as it is still quite a high-scoring word, he calls for 6 chips.

The action comes around to Player B. He folds.

There are now 48 chips in the pot. The players write down their words and then reveal them simultaneously. Player C has scored 16 points. Player D has scored 13 points. Player C wins the pot.

Some additional rules are explained below:

In order to encourage good play, a six letter word will score double points, and a seven letter word will score treble points.

At the end of each hand, the dealing responsibility moves one person to the left.

Every time a player is knocked out by losing all their chips, then the ante wager of the next game doubles.

Only words in the Oxford English Dictionary are permissible. No proper nouns, acronyms or abbreviations are allowed.

To ensure quick play, each player is only allowed 10 seconds in which to decide how to play. If they fail to declare CHECK, BET, RAISE or FOLD within that time, then their cards are automatically folded and they will lose any chips that they have invested in the pot.

In most other word games, the person with the best vocabulary always wins. However, in this game, to be known as “ALPHA-BET”, the ability to bluff other players is very important, and it is envisaged that the game will be interesting to play for players with all abilities of literacy. A hefty bet may frighten off weak players, even though they may hold the best cards, i.e., and are able to make the highest scoring word.

As with other wagering games, it is envisaged that the game of the present invention can be adapted for playing on computer, for example, against other online players, both real and/or virtual. The game can also be played in real time and recorded for television transmission. Chips may be counted by weight or may be replaced with real money or by electronic betting means.

Definition of the Method of Playing the Game

1. A method of playing a card game having at least first and second players, the method comprising the steps of:

each player making an ante wager,

each player being dealt two cards from a set of cards, each card bearing on a playing face a letter of the alphabet and a numerical score value associated with said letter of the alphabet, each player being able to view the face of only his cards,

a first player making a BET or deciding to CHECK,

if the first player CHECKS, then each subsequent player making a BET or deciding to CHECK until one player makes a BET or until all players CHECK

if a player BETS, then each subsequent player making a CALL, RAISE or FOLD until every player still in the game has contributed the same amount to the POT;

dealing a plurality of community cards,

each player making a CALL, RAISE or FOLD until every player still in the game has contributed the same amount to the POT;

each player recording a word created from their cards and the community cards,

each player making a final CALL, RAISE or FOLD until every player still in the game has contributed the same amount to the POT;

the winner of the game being the player with the highest numerical score value associated with their said recorded word, when revealed.

2. A method according to statement 1, in which a further community card is dealt and each player makes a CALL, RAISE or FOLD until every player still in the game has contributed the same amount to the POT prior to each player recording a word.

3. A method according to statement 1 or 2, in which a yet further community card is dealt and each player makes a CALL, RAISE or FOLD until every player still in the game has contributed the same amount to the POT prior to each player recording a word.

4. A method according to any preceding statement in which a six letter word scores double points, and a seven letter word scores treble points.

5. A method according to any preceding statement in which every time a player loses all of their chips, the ante wager of the next game doubles.

6. A method according to any preceding statement in which no proper nouns, acronyms or abbreviations are allowed.

7. A method according to any preceding statement in which only words in the Oxford English Dictionary are permissible.

8. A method according to any preceding statement in which each player is only allowed 10 seconds in which to decide how to play and if the or each player fails to declare CHECK, BET, RAISE or FOLD within that time, then their cards are automatically folded and they will lose any contribution that they have invested in the POT.

9. A method according to any preceding statement in which at the end of each hand, the dealing responsibility moves one person to the left.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the principle and mode of operation of this invention have been explained and illustrated in its preferred embodiment. However, it must be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically explained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope. 

1. A set of playing cards for a playing a game, each card bearing on a playing face a letter of the alphabet and a numerical score value associated with said letter of the alphabet.
 2. A set of playing cards as claimed in claim 1, in which the set is divided into twenty-six series of cards, each series representing a different letter of the alphabet from A to Z, and each series including one or more cards.
 3. A set of playing cards as claimed in claim 2 in which each series includes between 1 and 8 substantially identical cards.
 4. An apparatus for playing a wagering game comprising a plurality of betting tokens, and at least one set of playing cards as claimed in claim
 1. 5. An apparatus for playing a wagering game as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a playing surface.
 6. An apparatus for playing a wagering game as claimed in claim 5, the playing surface having at least two player zones, each player zone comprising a player card zone dimensioned for receiving at least two cards dealt from said at least one set, a community zone dimensioned for receiving a predetermined number of community cards dealt from said at least one set, and a play wager zone for receiving one or more betting tokens constituting a player wager.
 7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which each player zone further comprises an ante wager zone for receiving at least one betting token constituting an ante wager.
 8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which the community zone is dimensioned to receive five cards.
 9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which the zones are designated by lines marked on the playing surface.
 10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a score recording means.
 11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which at least one betting token is positioned in the play wager zone, two cards are positioned face down in each player card zone, and five cards are positioned face up in the community zone.
 12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which at least one betting token is positioned in the ante wager zone of each of the player's zones, two cards are positioned face down in each player card zone, five cards are positioned face up in the community zone, and optionally, at least one further betting token is positioned in the play wager zone.
 13. An apparatus for use in playing a card game comprising a playing surface, a plurality of betting tokens and a set of playing cards as claimed in claim 1, in which the playing surface is marked in a manner substantially as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings.
 14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, in which in use, the at least one set of cards are dealt and played and the betting tokens are used substantially in the manner specified in the rules described herein.
 15. A method of playing a card game having at least first and second players, the method comprising the steps of: each player making an ante wager, each player being dealt two cards from a set of cards, each card bearing on a playing face a letter of the alphabet and a numerical score value associated with said letter of the alphabet, each player being able to view the face of only his cards, a first player making a BET or deciding to CHECK, if the first player CHECKS, then each subsequent player making a BET or deciding to CHECK until one player makes a BET or until all players CHECK if a player BETS, then each subsequent player making a CALL, RAISE or FOLD until every player still in the game has contributed the same amount to the POT; dealing a plurality of community cards, each player making a CALL, RAISE or FOLD until every player still in the game has contributed the same amount to the POT; each player recording a word created from their cards and the community cards, each player making a final CALL, RAISE or FOLD until every player still in the game has contributed the same amount to the POT; the winner of the game being the player with the highest numerical score value associated with their said recorded word, when revealed.
 16. A method as claimed in claim 15, in which a further community card is dealt and each player makes a CALL, RAISE or FOLD until every player still in the game has contributed the same amount to the POT prior to each player recording a word.
 17. A method as claimed in claim 16, in which a yet further community card is dealt and each player makes a CALL, RAISE or FOLD until every player still in the game has contributed the same amount to the POT prior to each player recording a word.
 18. A method as claimed in claim 15, in which a six letter word scores double points, and a seven letter word scores treble points.
 19. A method as claimed in claim 15, in which every time a player loses all of their chips, the ante wager of the next game doubles.
 20. A method as claimed in claim 15, in which no proper nouns, acronyms or abbreviations are allowed.
 21. A method as claimed in claim 15, in which only words in the Oxford English Dictionary are permissible.
 22. A method as claimed in claim 15, in which each player is only allowed 10 seconds in which to decide how to play and if the or each player fails to declare CHECK, BET, RAISE or FOLD within that time, then their cards are automatically folded and they will lose any contribution that they have invested in the POT.
 23. A method as claimed in claim 15, in which at the end of each hand, the dealing responsibility moves one person to the left. 